MacArthur Highlanders Bring Home the Gold Ball

You couldn't ask for a better way to cap off one incredible and most memorable season in MacArthur history as BIG MAC won their first gold ball Saturday night in the 46 years of the schools existence. With 16 semi final appearances in the past years and 6 previous state final appearances it took lucky number 7 to finally get the job done in excellent fashion and this win seemed to make up for a lot of so many disappointing endings in the past and was put on display in front of many that had experienced those bad memories and a packed house with standing room only from both sides at Miller stadium in Yukon .

This match up the Highlanders wasted no time and took the opening first drive to finish what they started back in a hot July day  with just a couple of minutes off the clock and went up quickly with a quick Lorenzo West touchdown pass from Will Collins then added the Will Collins 2 point conversion and just like that Big Mac had a 8-0 lead. After a big 3 and out defensive stop the Highlanders took over and drove the ball back down to the Skiatook 20 to kick a 30 yard field goal from Jimi Denning to extend the lead to 11-0. Then to put the game out of reach after a Highlander stop on defense again and a turn over on downs by Skiatook  it just took one Big Mac play and 77 yards later with a beautiful pass play from quarterback Will Collins to Jacques Henderson and a 25-0 halftime score. Skiatook did score twice in the second half but the game was never in question and the Highlanders finished with 13-1 record and  a 39-12  big state final win to be 5-A Champions

On this foggy cool night It was still hard for so many family and friends to leave the stadium as they just seem to want to stay and take in all the moment a final gives, So many stayed and congratulated and hugged one another with flashes from cameras abounding in the end zone closest to the locker rooms and so many  exchanged what seemed to be years of tension and the sudden joy and release of all those disappointing years seemed to disappear in the night fog, Coach Pooshke shared with several fans "We did it" as he hugged and the feeling of great accomplishment and a closure to the painful past as he himself had suffered a finals loss with a missed extra point to potentially tie the game with just minutes left in the 4th quarter and one of those state final losses. This win was for former head coaches Hartline and Ernie Manning who had lost 5 between the two of them.. This win was also for current veteran coaches Max Plunk. Leo Holmes and Ernie Manning and to all the Mac Alum.

We will never forget this very special year and what the 2014 team was able to accomplish. City Champions. Area Champions great two point wins we will never forget against Lawton High, Altus, Carl Albert and the one point win in overtime against McAlester and will always  be remembered  as Mac's first State Championship team. A team of destiny and the Gold Ball now resides at MacArthur.